The study of neutron reflectivity of high-temperature-

superconductor- YBa2Cu3O7 /ferromagnetic-La0.67Sr0.33MnO7

superlattice film

Kuang-Wei Hsueh 1*, Zi-Qian Su 1, Tzu-Yen Huang 3,4 , David Cortie 4 , Lu-Tang Chen 1 , Sagar Mal Kumawat 2,1, Hsiung Chou1**

1Department
of Physics, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2 International Ph.D. Program for Science(IPPS), National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
3National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan
4Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, New South Wales, Australia

*
Presenter: Kuang-Wei Hsueh, Email: hsueh30805@gmail.com
**Correspondent author: Hsiung Chou, Email: hchou@mail.nsysu.edu.tw

A triplet superconductor, consisting of charge pairs with spin aligned in a parallel orientation, offers advantage characteristics, in contrast to traditional singlet superconductors, that they
can coexist with magnetic materials and survive under an applied magnetic field. In our previous studies, we have discovered an enhancement in the superconducting critical current for
a superlattice of high-temperature superconductor YBCO and ferromagnetic oxide LSMO under a specific range of magnetic field. This enhancement is attributed to the emergence of
the triplet superconductive pairs at the interface. The triplet pairs in parallel state can diffuse into and coexist with the ferromagnetic layer. We have also observed that the Cu magnetic
moments generated at the interface due to charge transfer can rotate by 90° in the interface plane under the influence of an external field. This property is highly preferable for
spintronic applications. However, further study is needed to confirm the occurrence of triplet superconductivity at the interface and in the ferromagnetic layer.
Therefore, this study employs a polarized neutron reflectometer in ANSTO to investigate the change of the magnetic moments at the interface and in the ferromagnetic layer on the
STO(001)/LSMO(5nm)/YBCO(10nm)/LSMO(5nm)/YBCO(10nm)/LSMO(5nm) superlattice system. We analyze a sets of polarized neutron reflectivity (PNR) data at different
temperatures (8K and 95K) and under different magnetic fields (0 T and 0.6 T). We use the SimulReflec program to fit the reflective curves. We found that a interface layers with a
thickness ranging from 0.5 to 1.3 nm were formed at the interfaces. Our neutron data shows that this interface layer exhibits magnetism and affects the magnetism of the LSMO layers.

Introduction Experimental process

Superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity without resistance when they are At the preparation of the multilayer film samples, we using pulse laser deposition method to
cooled below a critical temperature Tc. Traditionally, superconductivity was associated with grow high-temperature-superconductor-YBa2Cu3O7(YBCO)/ferromagnetic-La0.67Sr0.33MnO7
the formation of Cooper pairs, which consist of two electrons with opposite spins. In a (LSMO) 5-layer superlattice film, each LSMO layer deposited 2000 pulses, and 1500 pulses
conventional singlet superconductor, the Cooper pairs have spins that are anti-parallel, for YBCO layer.
meaning the electrons within the pair have opposite spin orientations. However, in a triplet In the PNR experiment, we use PLAYTYPUS, the neutron reflectometer at Australian Centre
superconductor, the Cooper pairs have same spin orientations. for Neutron Scattering. We set four different situation, first is below the critical temperature of
Triplet superconductivity is less common than singlet superconductors, and often associated YBCO(~93K) and under a external magnetic field, the second is below the critical temperature
with certain unconventional superconductors, such as those involving heavy fermion materials but no external magnetic field, the third one is over the critical temperature and under a
or certain magnetic superconductors. In our previous researches, we found the electricity external magnetic field, the last is over the critical temperature but no external magnetic field.
properties in superconductor/ferromagnetic multilayer films have some special increasement After all PNR data is captured, we using a PNR data fitting program, SimulReflec to confirm
at specific condition such as external magnetic field. the properties of the sample.
To figure out the detail properties of the SC/FM multilayer films and to confirm the PNR Data No. Set Temperature Set Magnetic Field
occurrence of triplet superconductivity at the interface and in the ferromagnetic layer. We 1 8K 0.6 Tesla
2 8K 0 Tesla
carry out the polarized neutron reflectivity experiments at Australian Nuclear Science and
3 95K 0.6 Tesla
Technology Organization(ANSTO), Australia. 4 95K 0 Tesla

Result and Analysis

We focus at the No.2 data(8K,0.5T) since it should be the most affected situation from the result of previous studies. We fitted the PNR data with out any other assumption. After fitting we
can get a roughly result that the thickness of LSMO is about 5 nm, and 10 nm for YBCO layer. Then we tried to add some midlayer, which can be seen as a mix layer of LSMO and YBCO
at every interface. After adding the midlayer we fitted again, from the fitting result we can seen a part of LSMO layer might be transform to the magnetic midlayer, the range of transformed
LSMO layer 0.5 to 1.5 nm. This phenomenon can be found at other data set(No.1, No.3 and No.4). By analyzing the neutron scattering length density(SLD) of every layer, we also found
the magnetization M of LSMO layer and mixed midlayer are increased comparing the dataset without external magnetic field. From the increasement of M we can assumed that may be
caused because of the generation of electron pair with the same orientation, and it just the characteristic of triplet superconductor. So we can make bolder assumption that the interface
layers(midlayers) have generated triplet superconductivity.

PNR fitting data of 8K 0 Tesla set PNR fitting data of 8K 0.6 Tesla set

PNR fitting data of 95K 0 Tesla set PNR fitting data of 95K 0.6 Tesla set